Improvement in rubber boots and shoes



S..'E.W HITTEM.ORE.. Rubber Boot and Shoe.

Patented July 2,1878.

N-PETERS, FHOTO- WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Gut-Ton.

SAMUEL E. IVHITTEMORE, OF BRISTOL, RIIODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUBBER BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,711, dated July 2,1979; application filed May 14, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. WHITTE- MORE, of Bristol, in the county-ofBristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Rubber Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declarethat the following specification, taken in connection with the drawingsfurnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and completedescription thereof.

The object of my improvement is to increase the durability of rubberboots and shoes; and my invention consists in a rubber boot or shoeprovided at its toe with a bindingshield, which protects the toe andbinds the upper and the sole together by overlying the front joint orseam at which the upper and the sole are united. This binding-shield maybe made of a portion of the sole extended sufficiently to admit of itsbeing turned upward over and upon the upper at the toe; or it may bemade in a separate piece, and so united to the sole as to operate as abinder, to prevent the separation of the sole from the upper, bycovering the front joint or seam.

In my prior Letters Patent, dated April 2, 1878, No. 202,082, I describean improvement by which a similar object is attained in connection withthe rear portion of the shoe by extending the rear of the heel-sole,turning it upward, and uniting it to the rear of the counter.

My present improvement is sometimes employed in connection with myformer invention.

It is well known that in addition to the liability, in ordinary use, ofthe front portion of the sole to be detached from the upper, the commonhabit of thrusting the foot into overshoes Without using the hands isconducive to severe strain on the front portion of the shoe, and tendsto a separation of the sole from the upper at the toe.

It is practically impossible for shoes embodyin g my present improvementto be injured in the manner stated.

To more particularly describe my invention,

I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side"iew of a shoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front View. Fig. 3represents the sole thereof as it appears before being applied to theshoe.

The sole A, instead of terminating on a line with the upper, asheretofore, is extended at the front beyond said line, as at a. Thisextended portion may be pointed or rounded; but it is only necessary tohave it of such length as will cover the joint or seam between the soleand upper, and afford a good, firm union with the upper I).

It is desirable, both for neatness and utility, that the extendedportion of the sole be so tapered or rounded that when applied its endwill be centrally located on the toe of the shoe, thereby ati'ording aneat finish and an effective shield for the central portion of the toe.

It is not absolutely essential that the sole be originally cut from onepiece, as indicated, because good results may be attained if it beformed, as heretofore, of the usual length,

and the extension to be separately out and applied both to the upper ofthe shoe and to the front edge of the sole, the process of vulcanizingserving to so unite the sole and the shield as to render thempractically homo geneous.

The bottoms of the soles are usually serrated or roughened, butsometimes a separate roughened tap-piece is applied to the sole; and theshield or extension a may be similarly roughened or smooth, according tothe character of the finish desired.

With this shield one overshoe can be readily removed by the toe of theother, its toeshield being the only portion thereof in contact with theheel of the other shoe, and under no circumstances can the toe of theshoe be injured, as is liable when constructed as heretofore.

The toes of rubber boots and shoes have heretofore been re-enforced invarious ways; but I know of no shoes prior to my invenwith abinding-shield, which protects the toe, is united to the sole and upper,and overlies the joint or seam at which the sole and upper are united,substantially as described.

SAMUEL E. WHITTEMORE.

\Vitnesses:

ANDREW R. TROTTER, GEO. O. EDDY.

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